Here you are; you’ve made it all the way up onto Zugspitze, the highest point in Germany.

You’ve always appreciated receiving handwritten mail in letters or postcards. As you’re traveling, it’s time you reciprocated by sending cards to family and friends, and you’ve written up a few postcards, ready to send. You’ve come up to the summit and you have the postcards in hand with correct postage already affixed to the postcards.

And in passing, you’ve just noticed there’s a mailbox here … at an elevation of over 9700 feet (almost 3000 metres) above sea level.

Sitting on Zugspitze’s west peak is the Münchner Haus (Munich House), started in 1897 and maintained since by the Deutscher Alpenverein (German Alpine Club). The building has the mailing address and post-code: “Münchner Haus, 82475, Zugspitze”. The accompanying and familiar yellow Deutsche Post mailbox here on Zugspitze is the highest in the country (obviously), and the box’s contents are emptied at 1030am every morning except Sundays (“Leerungszeiten”).

There’s no guarantee your mail will get a “Zugspitze” postal mark before the mail is sent to its destination, but one thing is true: that mailbox has a stunning view of the Alps to call its own.

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I’m apoplectic with rage if a person answers “Oktoberfest” as their first and only thought when asked what they think about Germany.

There’s nothing wrong with the raging keggers and oom-pa-pa at Oktoberfest or the beautiful city of Munich. But there’s a lot more to Germany than Oktoberfest. For example, there’s a festival lasting months: the Karneval on the Rhein …

I’m very fond of the country and her people; so I can be defensive when it comes to my “adopted” Deutschland. Yes, the people can be a little ornery, but break past their gruff orderly fastidious exteriors, and they are a lovely warm and generous people.

Sounds a lot like you and me, doesn’t it?

To encourage favourable views about different parts of the country, here are my 5 faves while I’m in the big D:

In Berlin, a ride on the upper-deck of either the 100 or 200 city-bus from Zoologischer Garten station will take passengers through many of the sightseeing and talking points of the German capital. Where the city’s Tiergarten park is concerned, many stop at the Zoo, Brandenburg Gate, and the Victory Column (Siegessäule). Taking the time to see the Gate and Column colourfully illuminated at night are also worthwhile, but I like my silhouettes, too. Click here for more about the photo below.

2. I’m in Hamburg to check what’s on store in the Speicherstadt.

Adjacent to the river Elbe, Hamburg is a port-city with historical links to the Hanseatic shipping league. The Speicherstadt (Warehouse District) consists of 19th- and 20th-century brick warehouses, like proud markers of an island oasis on the Elbe. If you’re interested in spices, the Spice Museum is where you can learn about how spices arrived and were traded within Europe. Today, most of the harbour activities occur on the southern banks of the Elbe in the Hafenstadt.

3. I’m in Köln for my favourite Turkish food.

An important thing I’ve learned from friends in Köln is the quality and variety of Turkish food. I’ve always tried to visit neighbourhoods where resident German-Turks go for their favourites. Whether it’s in Mülheim, Hansaring, or the “Zülpi” (Zülpicher Viertel), it might be hard to pin down the best places to eat. Ultimately, Ehrenfeld, my “Kölner Kiez,” has got my kind of food. A plate with Döner meat or grilled Lambspiess accompanied by rice and salad is a good way to start, and a serving of Künefe is a great way to finish. Click here for more drooling.

4. I’m on the North Sea coast to gaze out into the open sea.

It’s easy to forget Germany has access to open seas which are an important part of the nation’s history and Hanseatic traditions. About an hour north by train from Bremen, I’m at the coastal town of Cuxhaven to begin exploring the Wadden Sea (Wattenmeer). The area includes coastal mud flats which are vital for conservation efforts of local wildlife. The site’s importance has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5. I’m up top at Zugspitze for big mountains and big skies.

Although the tallest parts of the Alps are located in neighbouring countries, the view from 3000 metres (9700 feet) on the German side remains impressive. The ascent to Zugspitze is worth the trip on its own, whether by cogwheel railway from Partenkirchen or by gondola from Eibsee. At the summit, you can easily pass between Bavaria, Germany and Tirol, Austria. If you squint your eyes on a clear day, you can see all the way to mountains at the Austria-Italy border. Click here for the ascent.

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Fellow Canadian Holly Fraser at Same Skies Above kindly nominated me to “capture the colour” and participate in the present online meme sponsored by TravelSupermarket. It was a great opportunity to go through the past few years of my travel photography, and pick out some gems for this post.

BLUE

Snorkeling lesson at Junkanoo : Nassau, The Bahamas – 3 May 2012

I’d heard and read about the blue skies, turquoise waters, and white sands in the Caribbean, and I’d dismissed all of the descriptions as “exaggerations for memories.” However, they’re all undeniably true. Spending a few weeks in the Bahamas was a magical and relaxing experience.

GREEN

Curly-tailed lizard : Dicks Point, Nassau, The Bahamas – 5 May 2012

I saw this little guy climb from the wall and onto the branches, just outside the front door. The curly-tailed lizard stayed still, checking me out, and evaluating whether I was a threat. Just as I clicked, it scurried off into the bushes. I’m fortunate I got the various splashes of green and the bokeh in the background.

YELLOW

The U6 blur : Oranienburger Tor station, Berlin, Germany – 4 Oct 2009

In the German capital, the Berlin subway or U-Bahn consists of yellow trains. As this U6 train entered into Oranienburger Tor station, I had no idea when I made this photo how uniformly the yellow would appear throughout the entire frame. Sometimes, it pays to be lucky and patient.

Standing at Germany’s highest point offers a look of the Alps, which on the clearest of days extends as far as Italy. Taking a chance on both the expense of the round-trip and cloudy skies (from the valley below), the view in clear skies at altitude of the surrounding peaks with the new snow-frosting was worth every penny.

A favourite time of the year to visit Germany is during Weihnachtsmärkte or Christmas markets. Trudging through the snow in Frankfurt am Main’s markets, we stopped at an ornaments stand, when this explosion of red stars was begging to be photographed. And who was I to turn down such beautiful begging …

To continue the wash of colour, I’d like to nominate the following bloggers:

I made the photos above with a Canon EOS450D (XSi) camera. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotopress at fotoeins.com.

Disclosure: The author has written this post which is associated with a contest, sweepstakes, giveaway, or other special offer described in the post. Please see additional details at the Travel Supermarket website.